INTRO:
The only one of its kind in the eastern half of the United States, the Mississippi Petrified Forest is a privately-owned Registered National Landmark featuring 35-million-year-old fossilized logs. Once part of a massive primeval forest, the trees were uprooted by a large flood that eventually turned the wood into stone at the bottom of the river. Most of the logs are now between five and 10 feet long, but they were over 100 feet high and perhaps 1000 years old. Since 1976, the Mississippi state stone has been petrified wood because of this site, which is northwest of Jackson.

FOSSILS:
The ancient fur and maple trees - some of which were 15 feet across - were washed away during the Oligocene Epoch and buried under sand and other sediment, only to be later exposed after millions of years buried due to erosion. The 'flesh' of the trees was replaced by silica in the water, and like the more famous Petrified Forest in Arizona colors can be seen in the logs from minerals that also were present at the time. The colors are not as bright as its Western counterpart, but they range from black to dark blues and reds. There are actually three types of wood: an chunky kind called 'silicified' wood, a denser type called 'massive silicified' wood and a third more colorful type known as 'petrified palmwood'.

ACTIVITIES:

The trail through the Mississippi Petrified Forest is without a doubt the highlight of the site. The popular sitting spot, 'Caveman's Bench,' is the home of many a photograph, while the smiling 'Frog' sits perched warmly along the way. But, the pleasant wooded walk, with the logs blending into what is after all their natural environment, brings the historical perspective of the site into relief. At the end of the trip, the Earth Science Museum has some fine examples of the logs, and an interesting map with examples of petrified wood found in every state. There are also other interesting things for the paleontologist, including fossils, minerals, dinosaur tracks and many useful educational displays. The site, which has a gift shop as well, has been a Registered National Natural Landmark since 1966. The Mississippi Petrified Forest also hosts the annual Heritage Festival held at the beginning of November.

LODGING AND RESTAURANTS:

There is a campground at the site, and Vicksburg and Jackson are less than an hour drive away. East of the Mississippi Petrified Forest is Canton, which has a number of hotels, including a Holiday Inn and several other chains. There are a bunch of restaurants in Flora nearby, including Big D's, EC's or Annie M's places.

PLAN YOUR VISIT:

The Mississippi Petrified Forest is open year round except Christmas Day. From April to September, the hours are 9:00am until 6:00pm, but in the winter they close an hour earlier. Admission is $5 for adults and a dollar less for students and seniors.

WHEN TO VISIT:

The usually warm Mississippi weather makes even wintertime viewing of the Mississippi Petrified Forest possible, though it also rains quite a bit. November through May is extremely wet, while the summer can get very hot at peak temperatures.